At present, electrical energy is mainly supplied by grid connections that are definitely assigned to a property. These grid connections are definitely assigned to a grid connection holder. For measuring, metering and billing/clearing of the electrical energy drawn off the grid connection, stationary energy meters are moreover permanently installed. The entire electrical energy drawn off the grid connection is thus billed to the grid connection holder. A differentiation as to which person or which consumer has drawn energy off the metered connection is not provided for.
DE 695 09 529 (EP 0 769 281) describes a distribution network. It offers a solution for billing/clearing in a system user-based manner and for not being bound to a fixed geographical point, as provided for, e.g., in SE 425 123, U.S. Pat. No. 4,352,992 or EP 0 047 089.
DE 695 09 529 describes a distribution network comprising (a) electrical wires, (b) a plurality of tap-off facilities with at least one socket means for tapping off electric current and (c) a computer unit communicating with individual or a plurality of tap-off facilities via the power grid. As far as the tap-off facilities are switchable, these tap-off facilities are moreover provided with so-called regulating means and controlling means on the side of the power grid which serve for identifying a user and switching the socket means.
The user that connects the power-consuming unit with the tap-off facility is identified by the computer unit being connected with the tap-off facility or the regulating means via a microprocessor installed in the power-consuming unit. In the described system, thus the tap-off facility and the computer unit connected therewith identify the user or the consuming unit. This is only possible because in the distribution network described in DE 695 09 529 the tap-off facilities are connected with computer units installed for this specific purpose, because in accordance with the invention of DE 695 09 529, the tap-off devices (in connection with the respective computer units installed for this specific purpose) must be capable of storing or accessing or downloading all information about all system users in addition to the information about the tap-off facility itself. In accordance with DE 695 09 529, the identification process, which by switching the controlling means allows the user to draw off electricity, takes place by communication between a computer unit installed specifically for one or a small number of tap-off facilities and the tap-off facility, namely via signals which are superimposed on the distribution network. The distribution network of the invention uses the power line communication between the computer unit and the tap-off facility.
Each identification process and thus also controlling process in the system described in DE 695 09 529 requires a communication—after buffering—between a computer unit integrated for this specific purpose into the power grid and the tap-off facility. The tap-off facility must communicate with the computer unit. Processing and release decisions are made for each individual tap-off facility or technical means provided upstream thereof. According to DE 695 09 529, the tap-off facility is the master of the identification and release process. The distribution network described in DE 695 09 529 cannot be operated without additional technical means (own computer units) being required on the side of the power grid for the communication with the tap-off facilities.